Many companies have committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to align their operations with global climate goals.
Yet for most food and agriculture businesses, Scope 3 emissions related to farming and fertilizer use remain the hardest to measure and reduce.
One of the most credible, nature-based solutions emerging today is biochar. Produced by heating agricultural residues under low oxygen, biochar locks carbon into a stable form that can stay in the soil for centuries.
The Challenge
Agriculture is responsible for up to 70% of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, a gas nearly 300 times more potent than CO₂.
At the same time, millions of tonnes of crop residues are left unused each year, often managed in ways that release more carbon into the atmosphere.
Reducing these emissions while protecting yields is essential for companies working toward their SBTi-FLAG targets.
The Opportunity
Biochar provides two complementary benefits:
Carbon removal: Each tonne of biochar can store around 2 to 2.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in the soil.
Emission reduction: When applied to fields, biochar enhances fertilizer efficiency and can lower N₂O emissions by 10 to 30 percent, depending on soil conditions.
Beyond carbon, biochar improves soil structure, increases water retention, and supports long-term farm productivity. These improvements strengthen the resilience of agricultural supply chains over time.
Why This Matters for SBTi
The Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) framework of SBTi encourages companies to look beyond their direct operations and invest in solutions that create measurable, long-term impact.
Biochar fits naturally into this framework because it combines removal, reduction, and resilience in one system.
When tracked through credible methodologies such as ISO 14064 and ISO 14067, biochar-based projects can generate traceable data suitable for both Scope 3 reporting and corporate insetting.
Moving Forward
Biochar is not a silver bullet, but it is one of the few tools that connects science, soil, and supply chains.
Companies that start integrating biochar into their decarbonization strategies today will be better prepared to meet future compliance and climate goals.
If your organization is exploring practical, science-aligned ways to advance your SBTi commitments, reach out to us. We can help you design the right approach.
Sources
IPCC (2022): Agriculture accounts for up to 70% of nitrous oxide emissions, a gas nearly 300 times more potent than CO₂.
Lehmann & Joseph (2015): Biochar can store carbon for centuries and improve soil fertility and structure.
Cowie et al. (2023): Each tonne of biochar can store about 2–2.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
Zhang et al. (2012): Biochar can reduce N₂O emissions by 10–30% while maintaining or increasing crop yields.
SBTi (2023): The FLAG guidance encourages companies to adopt measurable, land-based climate solutions such as biochar.
ISO 14064 & ISO 14067: Provide standardized frameworks for tracking greenhouse gas emissions and product carbon footprints.
